Potential Liverpool target Rayan Cherki has been compared to Lionel Messi and praised by Kylian Mbappe as Mohamed Salah's contract situation remains unresolved.
With Salah yet to renew his deal, the possibility that this could be his final year on Merseyside is a reality that is starting to emerge. Although the time between now and the summer remains Options Arne Slot can turn to if he is forced to find a replacement for the Egyptian star.
One such name that has reportedly attracted Liverpool's interest in the past is Cherki – a prodigious attacking talent who has earned his stripes at Lyon and with France's Olympic squad.
Cherki made his Ligue 1 debut at just 16 – as he played his way into the spotlight – and Lyon's youngest goalscorer hasn't looked back. With a reported gentleman's deal now in place for the forward to leave, this could be the time for Liverpool to move on and secure the 21-year-old's services.
The Frenchman has long been on the radar of top European clubs and rumors swirled towards the end of 2024 that Liverpool in particular had inquired about his availability.
Among the player's admirers is countryman Mbappe, who, when Cherki was just 16 years old, posted a telling comment to social media in 2020, saying: “Don't talk too much about age.”
This laudatory plea from Mbappe only increased the hype surrounding Cherki – something mirrored by Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas, who likened the prodigy to an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
“Cherki is comparable to (Lionel) Messi in terms of technical quality,” Aulas told Téléfoot, making it quite clear what his current employers are keeping Cherki.
However, it was another all-time football smackdown where the Frenchman instead chose to compare and single himself out as an idol worth emulating.
“I'm here to bring joy to people and also to enjoy myself too and I think that's what makes the difference, while being efficient all the time,” Lyon's Pelenmaker declared in 2024. “I had a lot of idols but the one who I think the best and the example is Cristiano Ronaldo. As for his work and his longevity, that is the example you should follow.
It's one such talk that L'Equipe say Liverpool have seen eyeing Cherki – who could leave Lyon for the cut-price price of just £19million, according to an alleged gentleman's deal. However, the French news outlet also reports that PSG are interested and have been caught, believing Bayern Munich is another side that has inquired about recruiting Cherki.
Despite registering 22 goals and 33 assists in over 150 appearances for his current club, Cherki's playing ability and Flair set him apart. While he probably wouldn't replace the goals Salah has brought to Anfield, his quick-footed dynamism, which sees him flash between being a wide player and No. 10 attacking, would undoubtedly add an edge to Slot's Side – and it wouldn't be me also too heavy a cost.
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